Bedtime Stories
by Merthurtilidie
Summary: It's bedtime and Merlin decides to tell his children, Freya and Valiant, a story of dashing Princes, Magic and romance. Slash.
1. Chapter 1

Bedtime Stories

"Daddy! Put me down!" Freya squealed, her face turning red due to all the blood rushing to her head. Merlin laughed and let go of one of her feet, making her drop slightly from her upside-down position. "Ahh! Daddy!"

"Okay sweetie." He chuckled before lowering her slowly to the floor. As soon as he had let go of her legs she had jumped up and flung her arms around his neck again.

"No fair! You said it was my go!" Valiant pouted and crossed his arms from where he was standing on the armchair.

"Daddy doesn't want to hold you upside down because you kick him in the face!" Freya stuck out her tongue and wrapped her legs around her father's waist.

"Come on Val, I can hold both of you at the same time." Both seven year olds raised their eyebrows at him. "What? I'm stronger than I look!" Freya giggled and jumped down, allowing Valiant to climb over his father.

"Daddy! Don't look at the clock!" Freya giggled and stood on her tip-toes, trying to hide the hands that clearly showed that it was time for bed. Merlin chuckled and put down a protesting Valiant.

"Oh no! I desperately need to know what the time is but there is a fair maiden covering the clock with her hands!" Freya giggled and Valiant ran up and placed his own hands over the clock. "Oh, A fair maiden and a _knight _covering the clock with their hands," Valiant smirked, "Whatever shall I do?" He cocked his leg and tapped his chin with a finger, pretending to think. "Oh, I know."

He grinned and stalked towards them slowly, both children giggling quietly. "I'll just have to use my magic fingers!" They both squealed as he tickled both their sides at the same time, squirming and lowering their arms to pry their Father's arms away. "Yes! It worked! The hands are removed and I can see that the time is," He gasped, staring wide eyed at his still wiggling children. "It's eight O'clock! You know what that means?"

"Nooo!" Merlin scooped them both up under his arms and stomped up the stairs.

"It's time for teeth and bed!"

"Daddy!" They both protested all the way up the stairs until Merlin put them down in the bathroom.

"Now, you clean your teeth _properly_ and then I'll read you a story, okay?"

"Okay Daddy."

"And properly doesn't mean just putting the toothpaste on your brush then sucking it off, okay?"

Both children grumbled before plodding over to the sink and picking out their toothbrushes from the cup. Freya's pink and sparkly; Valiant's a deep blue and covered in red racing cars.

Merlin waited in the bathroom to check that they were cleaning their teeth before making his way over to his children's room.

He'd specifically brought a four bedroom house so both of the children could have a room each and they could still have a guest room, but it wasn't necessary as they outright refused to be in separate rooms.

He reminded them occasionally, "When you're older you will do anything to have a separate room." But they would always dismiss the idea and continue to play whatever game they were playing before.

"We're done Daddy! And _I _brushed my teeth properly; Valiant just sucked the toothpaste off his toothbrush."

"I did not!" Valiant protested, folding his arms.

"That's okay; I'll just use my 'Dirty Teeth Detector'." Valiant gulped as Merlin knelt in front of him. "Open your mouth." Valiant clamped his hand over his mouth and shook his head. "Why not? Did you clean your teeth properly?" The child nodded once before faltering, and shaking his head. "Off you go then." Valiant ran off to the bath room and Merlin turned to smile at Freya.

"When are you going to tell him there's no real 'Dirty Teeth Detector'?" Merlin gathered her up in his arms and sat with her on her pink, pattered duvet covered bed.

"What are you talking about? Of course there is a 'Dirty Teeth Detector'!" He smirked before pinching Freya on the nose.

"What story are you going to tell us Daddy?" Valiant came running back in, white toothpaste smothering his face.

Merlin held his arms outstretched and Valiant climbed into them, snuggling his nose into his chest. Freya whimpered before snuggling under Merlin's free arm. "You kids are so needy!" He chuckled and kissed Freya on the top of her head.

"Okay, in a time of Myth and land of Magic-"

"That doesn't sound like the start of a story Daddy." Freya stated from where she was twisting Merlin's ring around his finger. "It's supposed to start, Once upon a time."

"Okay then, Once upon a time, there was a beautiful kingdom, ruled over by a cruel King who had banished all Magic and sorcerers-"

"Why?" Valiant piped up."

"Because he thought they were evil." Merlin smiled at him.

"What's the place called?" Freya looked up at her daddy with wide eyes. Merlin frowned for a minute, thinking, before smiling back at her.

"Camelot."

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**Review and tell me what you think if this start. If you think it's pointless and I shouldn't finish it, tell me! X**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

"Camelot?" Freya furrowed her brow for a few seconds before nodding in approval.

"Okay and the cruel king is called Uther." Valiant laughed before high fiving his sister.

"Val that's rude, Uther is not that nasty, you shouldn't talk about him like that."

Merlin knew that they were talking about Arthur's father, the children's grandfather, who had visited them a couple of times before, and, if he was honest, Merlin didn't blame the children for using him to describe the 'evil king', because the man was cold and distant towards them, nothing like a grandfather should be, in Merlin's opinion. Despite the man being incredibly wealthy.

"But, as I cannot think of another name, Uther will do."

They both grinned as Merlin continued.

"Now Uther had a wife, Ygraine, but she died during childbirth. Her child was called-"

"Arthur!" Valiant sat up on his father's lap. "It has to be because Uther is his daddy."

"Her child was called Arthur." Valiant smiled, looking pleased with his contribution. "And he grew up to be very handsome, all of the women in the court thought so."

"Eww, did they all want to kiss him." Valiant made a face.

"Daddy wants to kiss him!" Freya giggled and hugged closer to her daddy.

"Yes Valiant, they all wanted to kiss him, and Freya, this Arthur is in a fairytale, okay? Daddy isn't in the fairytale." She nodded. "Okay, Arthur was also very devoted to his family, doing everything _his_ Daddy wanted him too."

"Did he hate magic too?" Freya looked up at Merlin, eyes wide in shock.

"No, he thought that magic was only evil if the person using magic was evil. But he wanted to make his father proud, so he did everything he was told to. Now, Camelot had and elderly Physician."

"Elderly? Like old? He should be called Gaius, because Uncle Gaius is old." Both children laughed at the comment, and even Merlin had to stifle a laugh.

"Children don't be rude!" They shrugged. "So Gaius the Physician was getting older and he needed someone to help him with his work, so he asked his sister-"

"Nanny Hunith?"

"Hunith, that's right, to send her son over to help him."

"That's you Daddy! Hunith sent Merlin to Gaius to help him because he was so _old_. Now you can be in the story!" Freya giggled.

"But, when daddy came, people didn't like him because he had magic fingers, so Uther wanted to kill him." Valiant looked up at his father solemnly.

"That's right Valiant, but your Daddy is very clever isn't he?" They both nodded vigorously. "So no one knew he was magic, except Hunith and Gaius, so he was safe. Now, because Arthur was the Prince, lots of people wanted to kill him to help themselves become the heir to the throne. One of the people was called-"

"Mary Collins." Freya shuddered.

"Who?"

"A girl in my class who picks her nose and wipes it on the table." Valiant laughed and Freya scrunched up her face in disgust.

"Okay, Mary Collins wanted to become the heir to the throne so she wanted to kill Arthur."

"But Dad- I mean Merlin saved him with magic!" Valiant exclaimed.

"I did?"

"Yes," Freya finished, "Merlin was standing in the big hall where Pa and Evil Uther were eating, but Merlin wasn't eating because he was the physician's servant."

"Hey! Assistant!" Merlin grinned despite his outburst. Both children ignored him, immersed in their story.

"Yeah, but then Mary Collins began to sing and everyone started to fall asleep, but not Dad-I mean, Merlin, because he's clever and he covered his ears." Valiant grinned

"Yeah and then Mary pulled out a dagger and threw it at Arthur-"

"And he died! The End!" Valiant laughed before Freya hit him.

"No it's not the end! Pa didn't die because Merlin made the dagger slow down in the air and pushed Arthur out of the way."

"Can I tell the story please?" They both looked up at their father before nodding silently.

"Okay, so Merlin pushed Arthur out of the way and used his magic to make a chandelier fall on Mary Collins, killing her and making it so there was no more threat to Arthur. Uther saw that Merlin had saved Arthur and decided to reward him by making him-"

"Arthur's manservant!" Valiant chuckled.

"No, I was think more, knight or lord or-"

"Nope, Daddy you have to be Prince Arthur's manservant. Like in real life! You're like Pa's servant." Freya grinned as her father rolled his eyes.

"Okay fine _Merlin _will be_ Arthur's_ manservant in the story. But I am not your pa's servant." Merlin fake grumbled and folded his arms, causing both of his children to chuckle.

"No, you're just the wife." Freya grinned, and then yawned, snuggling further into Merlin's chest, "I'm tired Daddy."

"I'm not surprised, it's late." He smiled as his daughters dark lashes began to flutter shut. "We'll finish the story tomorrow, now it's time for bed, you too Val."

A loud snore from his dark haired son was his only response. He chuckled quietly and scooped him up in his arms, allowing Freya to crawl beneath her covers as he carried Valiant over to his respective bed and tucked him in tightly.

"Good night Valiant." He pressed a kiss to the sleeping child's temple before walking to the other bed.

"Good night Freya." He kissed her forehead softly and she smiled, her eyes still shut. He smiled back before retreating out of the room, turning the lights off on the way out and sighing contentedly. He honestly couldn't ask for better children. Those two meant the world to him, and he knew that they meant the world to Arthur too, despite him trying to disassociate himself from the world.

It even took Merlin a long time to get Arthur to like him, they didn't exactly have a romantic first meeting, and it was definitely not 'love at first sight'.

In fact, the two despised each other when they had first met. Merlin chuckled as he walked into the kitchen and over to the cupboard, pulling out two wine glasses and placing them on the counter with a clunk.

Arthur was always convinced Merlin was an idiot, right from the start, and Merlin always thought Arthur was an arrogant Prat. Although, Merlin thought as he pulled a bottle of Chardonnay out of the fridge, it wasn't like Arthur didn't give him reason to think he was a Prat. He had spent their first meeting boasting about his money and his father. Merlin had wanted to pluck every silky blond hair out of his scalp.

Now, Merlin would punch anyone who dared to even touch one of Arthur's beautiful hairs. Except Morgana, he mused whilst watching the golden liquid flow out of the bottle and into the first wine glass, sloshing against the edge. Morgana was scary when she wanted to be. The kids loved their Auntie Gana though; she would always do Freya's hair for her and talk to her about unicorns and princesses or whatever girls like to talk about, but at the same time she was perfectly happy sitting with Valiant and painting pictures of dragons and knights.

Merlin glanced at the clock. 8:28.

Arthur should be home soon. He smiled and picked up both wine glasses, now both full, and walked over to the lounge. What was on the TV on a Monday?

Glee. Merlin laughed out loud as he placed the glasses on the coasters set out on the coffee table and sunk back into the sofa. Arthur would rather gorge his eyes out with a spoon than watch Glee.

He picked up the remote and began channel surfing, looking through the hundreds of useless channels they never watch for something that looked remotely interesting until he heard the sound of the door being unlocked.

"Honey I'm ho-ome!" Arthur sang, sticking his head around the door of the lounge and grinning brilliantly at Merlin.

"It's things like that that make our children think I'm the wife!" Arthur chuckled before disappearing from sight to take off his coat and shoes and show his briefcase by the shoe rack.

"Did the kids get off alright?" Arthur walked into the longue, his now sock-clad feet padding softly against the cream carpet, stained slightly grey from the amount of times Merlin had to scrub various spills and stains.

"Perfectly," Merlin smiled up at his partner, receiving a soft kiss on the lips, before Arthur sank into the sofa beside him and wrapped his arms around his waist. "I told them a story. Well, it was more like they told me a story."

"Oh?" Arthur pulled the brunette closer until he was almost sitting in his lap.

"Yes, a story of magic and princes and evil kings." Arthur smiled. "They named the evil king Uther." This time the blond laughed out loud, Merlin could feel the movement in his chest against his back.

"I wonder why?"

"And you were the handsome prince, of course."

"Of course."Merlin rolled his eyes.

"And I was the manservant, because I'm your servant, apparently." Arthur laughed again and kissed the top of Merlin's head.

"Oh sweetie, I don't think you're my servant. Could you pass me my wine please?" Merlin leant over to pick up the full glass, his fingers curling around the stem, before stopping and pulling back.

"You did that on purpose." He pouted.

"Of course. You sweet idiot." Arthur grinned and leant over to pick up his own glass, chuckling as Merlin fumed in his arms.

"Yeah well, you're a Prat. And you're home early tomorrow so you're reading the children their story." Arthur shrugged.

"I love reading to the kids, that's hardly a punishment. Plus, I could make the next adventures of Prince Arthur much more interesting, making Merlin do all kinds of horrible jobs for me." Merlin opened his mouth to protest before Arthur pulled him into a bone-crushing hug. "I'm joking."

"You better be else there will be no sex for you. Ever."

"I'll behave."

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**Okay, I think the plan is to have the story being all of the different episodes, as well as a family bit and different interpretations.**

**Please Review **


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

"Can I have coco-pops please, Pa?" Freya batted her eyelids prettily at her Pa and Arthur shook his head, laughing.

"You know we don't like you having chocolate in the morning because it makes you go all hyper!" He tickled her stomach and she bent over giggling. "Weetabix?" She nodded solemnly and climbed onto Arthur's lap, almost knocking over his mug in the process. "Sweetie, could you please be careful, you almost knocked over my coffee." She nodded again and buried her face in his chest, sniffling in the way she always did to try and wheedle her way out of trouble. It worked more often than both Merlin and Arthur are willing to admit.

"I'm sorry papa." Arthur rolled his eyes as Freya stuck out her bottom lip and looked up at him through her lashes.

"You can't get whatever you want just because you're as cute as a button, you know?" Freya leant back and smiled at Arthur, who pinched her nose lightly. Truth be told, she could.

"Daddy!" Valiant walked into the kitchen wearing his bright green 'Ben 10' pajamas, his hair stuck up in all directions. He stopped in his tracks when he saw Arthur, pouting slightly. "Pa, where's daddy?" Arthur frowned.

"What's wrong mate? Can I not help you?" Valiant frowned, shook his head, and walked out of the kitchen, looking for Merlin. Arthur turned his attention back to Freya who was pulling at the fabric of his shirt. "Did I do something wrong?"

Freya shook her head, paused, and then nodded. "What does that mean? Did I or didn't I?"

It took a moment for Freya to reply, almost as though she was looking for the nicest way to let her pa down. Arthur waited patiently. "Val has football practice today… he doesn't think you'll come."

"What?" He put his finger under Freya's chin to make her look him in the eye. "Why not?"

"Because you didn't last time." She smiled and kissed her Pa on the cheek, before turning around and pouring herself a bowl of coco-pops.

….

"Hey Val!" Arthur waved and grinned from where he was stood on the sidelines of Valiant's game. He was ridiculously overdressed in his suit and tie having rushed to the pitch straight from work, but it was worth it to see is son's eyes light up and watch him run straight off the pitch and into his Pa's arms.

Val wrapped his arms around Arthur neck tightly, causing Arthur to choke slightly. "I didn't think you would come!"

"Of course I was going to come! I'm so sorry I didn't last time… Mate, could you please loosen your grip!" Valiant giggled and loosened his arms, watching Arthur's face turn back to its normal colour, as opposed to bright puce. "Now off you go, your game's about to start!" Valiant jumped down out of Arthur's arms and over to the pitch, just in time for the Ref to blow his whistle.

Valiant scored the first goal of the game and Arthur had never been more proud in his life.

….

"Okay kids, Pa's going to read your story tonight, is that okay?" Both of the dark haired children in Merlin's arms nodded furiously, causing Arthur to chuckle.

"I'm going to sit with Pa!" Val jumped out of Merlin's hug and ran over to his bed, where Arthur was sat waiting to tell the story. Arthur grinned and wrapped an arm around him, holding his other arm out for Freya.

"I'm going to sit with Daddy in my bed, just in case I fall asleep." Freya stated, fetching her favourite stuffed cat, with wings (Merlin's idea), and curling up beside her daddy. Valiant seemed to think this was a brilliant idea, as he quickly climbed into Arthur's lap. Smiling softly at Valiant and then at Freya, Arthur opened his mouth to begin to speak. "Once-"

"Pa," Freya interrupted, "Do you know what's already happened?"

"Well, there's a magic kingdom called Camelot, ruled over by an evil King-"

"Called Uther!" Valiant laughed. "Who's big and scary and doesn't give very good Christmas presents." Freya nodded, agreeing vehemently and causing Merlin to snicker quietly.

"Yes, truly awful Christmas presents for Prince Arthur and no presents at all for Merlin, my manservant," Arthur smirked and Merlin, who stuck his tongue out at him childishly. "And the old physician called Gaius. Yes, Freya, I know what's already happened. Don't worry."

She blushed and smiled at him and Valiant jumped up and down on his lap. "Can I please be in the story tonight? Please!" Arthur chuckled before ruffling Val's hair.

"Of course you can, you can be a knight, they're cool! Cooler than magic manservants anyway."

"Can I be an _evil_ knight? They're even cooler!" Valiant bounced up and down on Arthur's knee excitedly, a huge grin on his face at the prospect of being an evil knight.

Unsure as to why an evil knight could possibly be cooler than a good knight, Arthur looked down at his son. "Are you sure? Your pa is a good knight. He's cool isn't he?"

"Not as cool as I am!" Val swung his arm around, lashing the air with an invisible sword and smacking Arthur in the face. "Oh sorry- No! I mean I'm not sorry! Because I'm evil!"

"If you do that again then _I'm_ going to be evil and put you to bed, then you _will _be sorry." Shrinking back from his father's raised eyebrows; Valiant nodded and went quiet so Arthur could begin his story. Again.

"So, Camelot was holding its annual sword fighting contest where all the knights in the realm came to battle each other to compete for the title of… Best warrior in the world! Of course, Arthur was sure to win-" Both Merlin and Freya looked at each other and rolled their eyes. "But it was only fair to give everyone else a go too.

"Soon Valiant-" Arthur tickled Valiant's tummy, making him squirm and grin. "-Came onto the scene. Now Valiant was different to all the other knights because he had something magical… He had-" Arthur paused, trying to think of something exciting and dramatic enough to go in his story.

Merlin piped up from the other bed. "A wooden leg? A five foot tortoise?"

"Daddy! Stop being silly!" Freya giggled and snuggled up to her daddy, resting her head back on his chest. "Valiant should have a magic shield, right pa?"

"Right Frey! And yes daddy, do stop being so silly." He grinned as Merlin pulled a face, earning him a slap on the arm from Valiant as a clear message to continue with the story. "Yes, Valiant had a magical shield with snakes on it, which came out whenever he said the magic words-"

"ABRACADABRA!" Valiant shouted and threw his arms up in the air, almost smacking Arthur in the face for the second time. "Oops…"

"I will stop telling the story. Don't think that I won't Valiant Pendragon-Emrys!" Valiant mimed zipping his lips shut and looked up at Arthur with big, puppy dog eyes. "You know that doesn't work on me."

Valiant turned around and directed his pout at Merlin, batting his eyelashes a little. "Daddy, please tell pa to finish the story."

"It doesn't work on me either!" Said Merlin, looking away from his son determinedly to face the wall. "Not even a little bit… But you know, Arthur… You could just…"

"Oh, you are such a girl, Merlin." Arthur chuckled and pulled Valiant closer to him, pinning his arms down by his eyes to stop excess flailing. "Fine. Where was I? Oh yes, abracadabra. So, Valiant is trying out his new shield, making the snakes come out and do a little dance-"

"Pa!" Valiant protested loudly.

"An evil dance! Anyway, stop distracting me, it's getting good! So, Merlin, of all people, walks past as Valiant's got his snake out-"

"Arthur! Child friendly please!" It was Merlin this time.

"And you wonder where they get it from!" Arthur threw his own arms up in the air, the spitting image of his son just moment before. "You." He pointed at Merlin, "Have a dirty mind, and you," Valiant, "Stop interrupting!" He glared at his family until they all mimed zipping their lips, Merlin included, although Freya looked a little distressed since she hadn't spoken. "Thank you! Right. So, Merlin knows Valiant is evil and so goes to tell Arthur who believes him because, really, he's too nice for his own good, and then they kill Valiant for being evil and magic. The end."

"What! Pa! It can't go like that!" Valiant protested, jumping out of Arthur's lap.

The blond simply raised his hands in defense. "You wanted to be evil, evil people die. Maybe next time you can be a good knight like your cool pa."

Valiant opened his mouth to protest again but his complaint turned into a squeal as Arthur picked him up and whirled him round in the air. "It's time for bed because if you're not up in the morning when Auntie Gana gets here she will EAT you!" He dropped Valiant down onto his bed and grabbed his foot, pretending to bite it; all the while Valiant was squirming and giggling, trying to kick back at his pa.

"They're such boys." Merlin looked down to where Freya was yawning and grinned.

"I'm a boy."

He received a stern look for that comment, Freya's dark eyes deadly serious contrasting with her long, dark hair, tied up in cute plaits with little, pink ribbons. "You're a _man_, daddy. You're not a silly boy like Valiant and pa. They always smell of mud and… you know. Boy." She grimaced and crawled into bed, letting Merlin tuck her in and kiss her on her forehead.

When he turned around, Arthur was lying down on the bed, as opposed to Valiant who was straddling his chest and pretending to stab him in the face. "Alright you smelly boys, Valiant you need to sleep, Arthur, you too."

Both Arthur and Valiant turned their heads and pouted at Merlin, expression almost perfectly mirrored. "I'm serious! We all need to be up when Morgana gets here with Morgause who, if you don't recall, is _scary_." He raised his eyebrows as his two boys sighed and rolled over until Valiant was lying down and Arthur almost fell out of the bed.

"I like Morgause." Freya's sleepy voice piped up from behind Merlin, causing him to look away from Arthur's haphazard tucking in and Valiant's girly giggles. "She has pretty hair. And a pretty face. Like Auntie Gana."

Merlin smiled and leant over to kiss her on her nose, "True. But neither of them is as pretty as you are."

A heavy hand was suddenly present, pressing against his lower back. "Come on daddy, quick. I think I've tucked in Valiant so tightly he won't even be able to turn over in the night." Merlin looked over to where Valiant was still giggling and wriggling in his duvet, tucked all the way up to his chin before walking over and pressing a kiss to his forehead.

"You go to sleep, or we'll invite Grandpa Uther round as well." He winked and Valiant clamped his mouth together and squeezed his eyes closed. "Good boy."

….

"You know, we should probably stop using your father as a threat to our children." Merlin stated as they walked back downstairs to the living room. "Isn't that the sort of thing that leads to childhood trauma or something?"

Arthur chuckled and flopped down on the sofa, holding his arm out for Merlin to come and cuddle up next to him. "They're strong, they'll be fine. I'd be more worried about feeding them your mother's cooking than- Ow!"

He rubbed his arm where Merlin had smacked him. "Violent much? I'm sorry I said anything!"

"You should be!" The brunette stuck his finger out as a warning. "I'll use my magic fingers against you, don't think I won't!"

Pain suddenly vanished, Arthur waggled his eyebrows. "Is that a promise or a threat?"

"Yeah and _I'm_ the one with the dirty mind." Merlin rolled his eyes and tucked his feet under his bum, turning his head to rest against Arthur's shoulder again. "God, I am so tired. I can't wait for Morgana to take the kids out tomorrow because otherwise, I think I would pass out."

Arthur made a sympathetic noise and ran his fingers through Merlin's short hair. "You're such a good daddy." Merlin snorted and closed his eyes. "I'm serious. You do such a good job; you should just stop worrying so much."

"Thank you." Merlin tilted his head up to kiss Arthur softly. "And thank you for watching Valiant play earlier. It meant a lot to him."

"I know. It meant a lot to me too."

**A/N. So, yeah. Hi. Sorry that it's been, what, 2 years since I last updated this?**

**But I'm going to try and finish it.**

**The likelihood is that it's not going to have every episode in it though, I'll just pick the best ones so, I hope you enjoy this!**


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